שְׂכִירָה
a hiring
Definition
The Hebrew noun שׁכִירה (səkîyrâh) means 'a hiring' or 'that which is hired.' It specifically refers to the act or state of being hired, or the hired thing itself. In its sole biblical occurrence in Isaiah 7:20, it describes a 'hired razor'—a metaphorical instrument of judgment. The word is the feminine form of the more common noun for a hired worker (שׁכִיר, sákîr, H7916), emphasizing the object or condition resulting from a hiring agreement.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in Isaiah 7:20. The prophet Isaiah uses it metaphorically, describing how the Lord will 'hire a razor' from beyond the Euphrates (i.e., the king of Assyria) to shave the head and beard of Judah as an act of humiliating judgment. The usage is poetic and vivid, applying the concept of a hired instrument to a foreign power employed by God for disciplinary purposes.
Etymology
שׁכִירה (səkîyrâh) is the feminine noun form derived from the root שׁכַר (šākar), meaning 'to hire' or 'to earn wages.' It is directly related to the masculine noun שׁכִיר (sákîr, H7916), meaning 'a hired worker' or 'hireling.' The feminine form can denote the abstract concept of hiring or the feminine-gendered object of hire, as seen in Isaiah.
Semantic Range
Though used only once, this word contributes to the biblical theme of God's sovereign use of human instruments, even pagan nations, to accomplish His purposes of judgment or redemption (cf. Isaiah 10:5-19; Habakkuk 1:6). The metaphor in Isaiah 7:20 powerfully illustrates that God is in control of international affairs; He 'hires' or commissions forces according to His will. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the reading by highlighting the intentional, contractual imagery behind God's action—judgment is not random but a deliberate employment of a specific tool.
In the ancient Near East, hiring was a common practice for temporary labor, mercenary soldiers, or specific services. A 'hired razor' would be a sharp, professional tool, not a personal one, implying efficiency and a complete, impersonal job. The cultural understanding of hiring involved a temporary, transactional relationship, which Isaiah uses to show Assyria's role as a temporary, paid instrument in God's hand, not a permanent ally or an uncontrolled power.
שׁכִיר (sákîr, H7916) — the masculine noun for a hired worker or hireling, focusing on the person hired rather than the act or object of hiring.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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